Safety device for wire-drawing machines



Dec. 21 1926.

P. J. MAHQNEY SAFETY DEVICE. FOR WIRE DRAWING MACHINES Filed Sept. 30,1925 2 Sheets-Shei Dec. 21 1926.

P. J. MAHONEY SAFETY DEVICE forvwIRE: DRAWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-'Shet 2Filed Sept. 50, 1925" Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

A-PATRIGK JI. MAHONEY, or snaaon, PENNSYLVANIA.

s AFE'rYnEvIcE ron WIRE-DRAWING MAC INES.

Application filed September 30,1925. Serial No. 59,711.

This invention relates to improvements in safety mechanisms foremployment in connection with wire drawing machines. In the operation.of the ordinary types of wire drawing machines, the wire to be drawn islcd from a supply reel positioned at some distance from'the drawingmachine itself and is passed through the reducing die' and drawn throughthe die through the rotation of a 'take up drum upon which the drawnwire 1s wound. In the operation of the machine it sometimes happens thatthe wire upon the sup ly reel becomes tangled and, asa result, t is reelis forciblydrawn toward the drawing machine, frequently rcsultin'ginserious injury to the operator of the machine. Therefore, the presentinvention has as one of its objects to provide means whereby therotation of the take-up drum will be immediately arrested in the eventof any displacement of the supply reel in the directionof thedrawing'mac ine, so

' that thedisastrous results referred to will be avoided.

It sometimes happens that a workman operating the machine will stumblein .approaching the machine, or will carelessly lean toward the take-updrum and be injured, and therefore. it is another object of theinvention to provide means' for auto ma-tic'ally stopping. thetransmission of power to the take-up drum under these con ditions, 1 Itlikewise. sometimes happens that the wire will fly over the storage reelor will twist or become tangled as it travels through the die, andthis-will likewise frequently cause injury to the operator of themachine. Therefore the invention has as an other object to providemeansv for automatically stopping the transmission of sary to anunderstanding of theinvention,

power to the takefiip reel under such conditions.

Another object of the invention'is to provide means for automaticallystopping the transmission of power to the take-up reel when the lastportion of the wire is about to pass through the die.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1' is" a view infront elevation of the mechanism embodying theinvention, so

much of the drawing machine as is necesbeing likewise illustrated insaid figure.

Figure 2 isa vertical front to rear secindicated by the arrows.

at the upper endof tional view taken substantially on the line '2-2 ofFigure 1, looking in the direction Figure 3 is a plan new of themechanism and the part of the drawing machinewith which it isassociated.

Figure 4 1s a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a portlon of themechal'llSlll.

Figure 5 is a view partly in elevation and .partly .in vertical sectionsubstantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 looking in the dir'ectionindicated by tl e arrows.

In the drawings, tfe' bed of the Wire drawing machine is indicated bythe 1 1 u 16ml 1 d th 'ta'ke-up drum upon Which the drawn wire is wopnd,is indicated by the numeral 2. This drum is secured upon the shaft 3which is rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing-4 in the bed 1 of themachine, both. for rotation and upward sliding movement, and a beveledgear 5 is fixed upon the lower end of the shaft 3 and meshes with asimilar gear6 fixed upon a driven shaft 7 so "that rotative movement isimparted to the shaft 3 for rotating the saiddrum-2 and winding the wirethereon, the wire being drawn through the reducing die which isillustrated in a general manner in 'the drawings and indicated by the.numeral 8. The wire to'be drawn is led from a supply reel indicated bythe numeral 9 and this reel is mounted for free rotation upon asupporting stand 10 which stand is ordi mounted upon the floor of theroom in which the machine is installed-that the stand to- -gcther withthe reel supported thereby may have limited slidin movement in thedirection'of the machine. The numeral 9 indicates a flexible connectionwhich-,is connected at its upper end to the standlO and is-leddownwardly over a pulley Qiihounted a tubular casing '10 The stand 10 iswhich opens at itsupper end through the 4 floor and which extendsbeneath the floor,

the flexible connection 9extending downwardly within the casing andbeing connect--' ed at its lower end to a weight 1O which serves tonormally hold the stand agalnst sliding -mo vement in the direction ofthe. machine and which likewise serves as. a

means for returning the stand and the reelsupported thereby to itsnorn'lal position if the wire, leading from the reel, has become tangledand is afterwards relieved of ten-' sion. As previously stated,theinvention contemplates the provision of means for antomaticallystopping the application of power to the take-up reel 2 in the event thewire becomes'tangled about the reel 9 and a pull is exerted upon thereel in the direction of the machine, and this means will now bedescribed.

The numeral 12 indicates a' rock arm which is pivotally supported at apoint intermediate its ends, by a bracket 13 mounted beneath the bed 1of the drawing machine,

the rear end of the arm being formed with aslot 14 receiving a pin 15carried at the lower end of a stem 16 which extends slidably upwardlythrough the bed 1 and is provided at its upper end with a roller 17which engages the under side of the lower headpf thedrum 2, it beingunderstood at this point if the forward end of'the rock arm 12 isdepressed or lowered, the upper end will be swung upwardly, therebyetl'ectingupward movement of the stem 16and elevation of the drum 2,thereby disengaging the gear 5 from the gear 6. This will, of course,interrupt the application of power to the shaft 3 and the drum 2 willcease to rotate.

A weight 18 is fixed upon the rock arm 12 forwardly of the pivottherefor and tends to overbalance this arm so as to efiect upwardswinging movement of its reai end and operation of the stem 16. Links1t) are pivotally connected as at 20, to the forward end of said rockarm and at their upper ends are connected as at 21, to a slide plate 22which is slidably mounted in spaced guides 23 and .24 mounted upon thefront of the bed of the machine. The guide 24 is provided with a slot25, and slidably mounted in this slot is a detent 26 having a beveledend 27 presented toward one edge of the plate 22, this edge of the platebeing formed with a substantial- 1y V-shaped notch 28 in which thebeveled end of the detent normally engages as illustrated clearly inFigure 1 of the draw- 'ings. so that the plate 22 is normally heldin anelevated position and in such position that the stem 16 will be loweredto'an extent to permit of coaetive engagement of the gear 6 so thatmotion may be transmitted to the shaft 3 and, therefore, to the drum 2.At

' this point it will be evident that if the detent 26 is shifted towardthe right in' Figure 1 of the drawings, its beveled end will bewithdrawn from engagement in the notch 28, whereupon the plate 22will'be released and, therefore, the weight 18 will act immediately torock the arm 12 and project the stem 16 upwardly to corres ondinglyshift the drum 2and shaft 3 and t ereby disengage the gear 5 from thegear 6 and effect cessation of rotation of the drum. In order to limitthe 22. -end with an arm which extends in front of the bed of themachine as clearly shown downward movement of the plate 22 andconsequently limit the movement of the rock arm 12 and the stem 16, theguide 24 is provided with a shoulder indicated by the numeral 29, whichis to be engaged by the upper wall of the notch 28 in the downwardmovement of the plate 22.

The-numeral 30 indicates a rock shaft which is mounted vertically in abearing art of the guide 24, and this.

coact with said detent to yieldahly hold the same in an inwardly slidposition and consequently in engagement with the slide plate The shaft"30 is provided at its upper The in Figures 1 and 3 of the rawings.

numeral 36 indicates in general a rocker which is mounted in a suitablebearing 37 upon a support 38 located in front of the machine. and therocker is provided with an arm 39 which extends rearwardlytherefrom,

thence" at right angles as at 40, and. then upwardly to provide an arm41 the upper end portion of which is located directly in front of thefree end portion of thearm 3 5,

A spring 42'i's mounted upon the side of the support 38 and coacts withthe portion 39 of the rocker 36 and normally yieldably holds the rockerin the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings in whichposition the arm 41 of the rocker will not exert any pressure againstthe arm 35 of the crank shaft 30. At the other side of the bearing 37.the rocker 36 is provided with an upwardly extending lever arm 43provided at its upper end with an eye 44 through which the wire isled..,from the supply reel 9 to the die 8. The numeral 44' indicates arod' 'whieh is supported at one end by the stand 10 for the supply reel9. the free end of the rod being normally presented toward andrelatively close to the lever arm 43 of the rocker 36. At this point itwill be evident that in the event the wire becomes entangled upon thereel 9 and a .pull. is exerted tending to mox e the reel and its standforcihlyinfth e direction of .the machine proper the rod 44 will engagethelever arm 43 and the rocker 36 so as to cause the arm 41 of saidrocker tO Il(lG against the arm 35 thereby rocking the shaft 30 andretracting the detent 26 against the tension-of the spring 34 thusreleasing the slide plate 22 and permitting the weight 18 to rock thearm 12 and vertically move the stem 16 to elevate the drum2 anddisengage the gear 5 I from-the gear v6 thus arresting the applicationof power to the shaft by-which the said drum is supported. Therefore, insuch a contingency, there can be no appreciable rhino which ordinarilywould cause injury rated position and in movement of the supply reeltowards the mato the operator of the machine. The numeral indicates ingeneral a rocker mounted in a suitable bear1ng 46 upon the' front of themachine and including an arm '47 which upstands in front of theouter-end of the arm 35 and is normally in contact therewith. I Therocker further includes an arm 48 which extends directly forwardly fromthe rocker and thence upwardly and has its upperend turned laterally asat 50 and supporting a grooved roller 51. A leafspring 52 is secured atits lower endto the bed of the machine and at its upper end bearsagainst the arm 47 of the, rocker 45 and the tendency of this spring isto so act upon the rocker as to cause rearward swinging movement of thearm 47 to elfect corresponding movement of the arm 35, and likewise holdth'e roller 51in an eleengagement with the stretch of wire passing fromthe supply. reel 9 to the forming die 8. So long as'the wire istensioned, the roller 51 will be held in lowered position and the spring52 will be under tension and the arm 47 of the rocker 45 will not actwith force against the arm 35 .ofthe shaft 30. However, should the wirebreak .or become slack, as for example at the. moment when the lastportion of the length of the wire leaves the supply reel 9, the spring52 will immediately act to cause rocking movement of the rocker 45 andeffeet rearward swinging movement of the arm 47 to correspondingly movethe arm 35 and thereby rotate'jth'e shaft 30 to retract the detent 26-,thereby permitting the plate weight 18 effect upward movement of thestem 16 and '22 to move downwardly and enabling the to'act upon the.rock arm 12 to of the gear 5 from the gear 6.

disengagement I be evident at this point that- It will also should thewire become'twisted orfknottedafter it leaves the supply reel 9' andbefore it reaches the die 8, the twist or knot in the wire will engagethe eye 44 at theupper end of the lever arm 43 and thus effect. rockingmovement of the rocker 36 with the result that the detent'v26 will beretracted to provide for immediate automaticop'eration-of the mechanismto, stop the application of power to the take-up drum. s

In order that the wire may be suitably lubricated before it reaches'the'die 8, a trough 53 is mounted beneath the roller-51, and any suitablelubricating material such for example as soap is placed within thetrough and taken u through the rotation of the roller and supplied tothe wire, the lower side ofv the roller rotating in the said lubrieatingmaterial.

As previousl stated, means. 'is provided the machine inthe event theoperator should stumble or lean age inst the front of the machine in aposition where he would be subject; to injury, rocking frame which isindicated in general by themumeral 54 and'comprises spaced side members55 having their lower portions turned atqright angles to .provide alinedshaft portions 56 :which are'journaled in suitable bearings 57, locatedat the lower ends of the guides 23 and 24. These portions 56 areconnected by a substantially U- and said means includes a shaped crank58 to which is connected the 9 Figdres 1 and 3 of the drawings it willbe Normally the frame will occupy substantialljv the position shownin'the drawings and it will be evident that should the operator of themachine stumble and fall toward.

the'machine or lean against th machinehis body' will press against thebar 62 thereby rocking the frame 54 and causing the said side member 55of the frame to exert pressure against the arm 35 and rock the shaft 30to effect retraction of the detent 26 therethe sidemembers 55 of? 59,the link having a' by releasing the slide plate 22 and permitting theweight 18 to rock the arm 12 and cause discontinuance'of application ofpower to thetake-up reel. The rockin frame 54 serves also as'ameans',whereby t e parts of the safety device may. be restored to theirnormal position, for it will beevident that if the slide plate '22 hasbeen released through retraction of the detent26, and a forward pull isexerted upon the bar 62 to 1 bring the frame 54 forwardly, an upwardpull will'be exerted upon the link 59 until the lower. end of the slot60 engages the pivot pin, 61 whereupon the rock arm 12 will be restoredto normal position and the slide 'plate 62 will be elevateduntil thebeveled end of the detentreengages the notch 28;

vHaving thus'described the invention, what [claimis:

1. In safetymechanism of the class de scribed, the combination with thewinding drum =a nd die of a wire drawing machine, means for transmittingmotion to the drum, and the supply reel and its support from which theWire tofbe' drawn is led'to the drum through the die, of automatic meansfor rendering'the mot-ion transmitting means inactive in the event ofdisplacement of the reel in the direction of the die,- comprising adisplacing 'rockarm, means tending to actuate the same, a slidablemember to which the arm is connected, agdetent-coacting with theslidable member and. nor'rfially holding the same in position torestrain the arm from actuation, and means actuated through suchdisplacement of the said reel for retracting .the detent from engagementwith the said slidable member, the last mentioned means 'comprising arock shaft having a crank por- 2. In asafety mechanism of the classdescribed, the combination with a winding 5 drum and die of a wire'drawing machine, 20, I

' and the supplyfreehand its support, from whichflthe wire'tobedrawn isled to the' .drumqthrough the die, of automatlemea'ns means fortransmitting motion to the drum,

for rendering the ,motion transmitting means inactive int eevent ofdisplacement of the "reel in the: direction of the die, comprising a--displacing1"}rock arm, means tendingv to acof the lever.

scribed, the combination with the winding tuate the same, means normallyrestraining,

the arm'from actuation includinga slidab'le detent, a rock shaft,operative connection be-' ,tween the rock shaft and the detent for ef--'fecting actuation of the detent upon rockmg of the shaftin onedirection, an arm extendingfromthe rock' shaft, a rocker including- Yfurther including a second arm, a roller caran armengaging the lastmentioned arm and ried by the second mentioned arm and normally engagedby the stretch ofwire extending-between the reel and the die whereby tohold the rocker in position such that the first mentionedarmthereof'will be inactivewith relation to the arm or the rock shaft,means for automatically actuatlng'thc rocker, upon release of the saidstretch of wire from. tension, whereby to etfectrocking of said shaftand retraction of the detent, a lever mounted for rocking movement. andhaving apor tion at one side of its pivot coactlng with the a,

arm of the rock shaft, and a rod having oneendcconnected to the reelsupport whereby displacement of the reel will efiect longitudinalmovementof the rod, the other end of the rod being presented to anextension 3. In safety mechanism 1 of the class ideresented to anextension of the" lever to e ect such rocking movement there-- i-'of,'upon displacement of the reel.

drum arid die of a wire drawing machine,

means for transmittingmot-ion to'the drum, and the supplyreel from whichthe wire-to be drawnisled to the drum through the die, of automat cmeans for rendering motion transmlsslon means inactive inQt-he event ofknotting 0f the wire between said reel and the die, the said meanscomprising a displaclng rock arm. means tending to actuate tlxe same, ashdable member to whichthe arm is connected, a detent coacting with theslid .able'member and normally holding same. n position to restrain thearm from jaetua- :erat-ively {connected with the deter;

ex ending from the said rock including anarrir upstandingf n,adva-ncegofk'e'rl alsoiny fiv i faii. V eye at-the upper end 'ofs'th'esaldfleveriyarm thelastg-menti ned arm, the eluding an upstanding levefor the passage.therethrough'of-the wire and of adiameter tojbe twist inthewire. l

4. In safety,mechanismjot the class detion, a rock-shaft having a crankpartionfd engaged by a knot or,

scribed, the 'coinbination'with the winding drum and the die of a wire'drawingmachine,-- means for transmitting motion to the f'drum,

and the-supplj reel from whichthe' wire is to be drawnfiand led Ito-the:dru'm through the die, ofmeans'"foriendering the motiontransmittingmeans nactive underidanger J conditionscomprisingadisplacing rock arm, means tending to actuate theme, a slidable memberto;'- which the arm is connected, a detent' coating. with the slidable'member torestrain the arm from actiolha'ro'ck lever having a crankportionbperatively connect" ed with the detent to retract, the same whenand normally holdingthe samein position the lever is rockedin. onedirectioi'nan arm extending from the said rocklever, a-rock- ',.ingframe including a cross-banto'be engaged by the body of a personclose'to-the machine, the saidframehaving amember extending in proximityto the arm of the rock shaft to engage the arm -and actuate thedirection of the machine, and operative connection between the said;frame and the slidable member for efiectingfresetting of the shaftwhenthe'said frame'is presse'dfin the I 'slidableg. member upon "rearwardgswmging movement of the frame. t

ture. 1 u

PATRICK JMA ONE a j

